Blockbuster, a DVD rental store chain, became bankrupt in 2010 and went into administration twice in 2013, when it began to close its stores.
Stores in Hove, Shoreham, Peacehaven, Worthing, Horsham, Littlehampton, Hastings, Crawley, Burgess Hill, Haywards Heath, Uckfield, Eastbourne, East Grinstead and Chichester were all lost to the chain’s final crisis.
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Most attribute the downfall of Blockbuster to the rise of streaming sites such as Netflix, which began its online service in 2007.
Here’s what the Sussex Blockbuster stores turned into:
Hove
The Hove store is now Harriet’s of Hove, a plastic-free pantry and refill shop. It sells a range of vegan food, gifts and eco-friendly household products.
Worthing
Blockbuster’s old lot in Worthing is now Sussex Beds, a mattress store in the town centre.
Horsham
Kaspa’s Desserts now resides in Blockbuster’s former Horsham site.
Littlehampton
Littlehampton’s Blockbuster in Surrey Street has now become budget drugstore Savers.
Crawley
An Iceland branch now sits where the old Blockbuster was once situated.
Haywards Heath
Haywards Heath’s go-to video rental store has now become a Costa.
Chichester
Chichester’s branch is now Chichester Beauty Aesthetics and Training Academy.
When it went into administration in 2013, Blockbuster had 528 stores in the UK, employing 4,190 staff.
Lee Manning, joint administrator and partner in Deloitte’s Restructuring Services practice, said at the time: “In recent years Blockbuster has faced increased competition from, internet-based providers along with the shift to digital streaming of movies and games.
“We are working closely with suppliers and employees to ensure the business has the best possible platform to secure a sale, preserve jobs and generate as much value as possible for all creditors.”
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